BLACKSBURG, Va. (Jan. 13, 2007) - The ETSU Track and Field team completed its first meet of the 2007 season, as school records were broken this weekend at the Virginia Tech Invitational.

Both the men's and women's indoor weight throw school records were smashed this weekend, as freshman Jarrod Burton (Bastian, Va.) and sophomore Dedra Jones (North Tazewell, Va.) entered the ETSU record books. Burton broke teammate Guy Hornsby's (Morgantown, W. Va.) 2006 record of 47-05 with a heave of 54-00 (16.46m), and Jones rewrote the books with a toss of 46-03.50 (14.11m). Jones broke Kelly Weavers mark of 44-09 set in 1998. Hornsby provided a stellar performance in the event as well with a throw of 51-00.25 (15.55m), which was good for a 17th-place finish.

The freshmen stepped up big in the men's shot put on Saturday when both Burton and Dakota Cagle (Rutherford College, N.C.) posted top-16 finishes. Cagle placed ninth with a throw of 50-03.25 (15.32), while Burton ended in 11th with a toss of 49-09.75 (15.18m). Cagle fell just shy of the school record that is held by Curtis Eason at 50-06.

"The throwers showed really good promise this weekend at the meet, and I expect more to come as the season continues," said throwing coach Meg Stone. "It's scary because they have not met their maximum potential yet, and they have all ready rewritten the record books."

In other events on the men's side, senior Josh Hicks (Riceville, Tenn.) finished 17th in the 800-meters, with a mark of 1:59.05. Teammate Jeff Crane (Taylors, S.C.) competed in the mile with a time of 4:37.74, placing him 28th. David McDaniel (Elizabethton) ran in the 400-meters, and finished 33rd at 52.39. ETSU saw two athletes place in the top-25 in the long jump, when Mike Reber (Sunbright, Tenn.) turned in a 20th-place finish with a jump of 21-02 (6.45m), and Nate Strickland (Morganton, N.C.) finished 25th (20-08). Rounding it out on the men's side was Drew Beamer (Johnson City) in the pole vault, finishing 20th (14-01.25).

On the women's side, Octavia Burgess (Morganton, N.C.) made her collegiate debut in the 200-meters, finishing in 21st with a time of 26.09. Freshman Valerie Boothby (Glen Gardner, N.J.) turned in a 5:37.01 mile and ended in 26th, while freshman teammate Victoria Currie (Dumfries, Scotland) turned in a top-15 performance in the 800-meter event. Currie finished in 12th with a mark of 2:23.07. Tashauna Robinson (Trelowny, Jamaica, W.I.) finished 35th with a mark of 15-05 in the long jump. In the women's shot put, freshman Brooke Berarducci (Knoxville) and Zachlynn Blackburn (Tazewell, Va.) finished 17th and 27th respectively. Berraducci finished 17th with a heave of 40-11.50 (12.48m), and Blackburn placed 27th with a toss of 38-02 (11.63).

The ETSU track and field team will now have the next two weeks to prepare for the Niswonger Invitational which is held in MemorialCenter. The meet will run from Jan. 26-27. For more information on the meet please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.